Introduction
In this article you will find a selection of our best home bar cart ideas! A bar cart/drinks trolley can make a charming addition to every home bar. They have endless uses and endless styling options to match any décor or bar theme. We’ll go through some important things to consider to help you chose right bar cart for your home bar. If your just looking for cart ideas, jump ahead to see our top picks here.
What is a bar cart?
So what is the point of a bar cart? Bar carts are small mobile trolleys on wheels, usually with two or three shelves that can help you store, organize, and transport your bar supplies. They were originally used in bars to bring and serve drinks at a table when sitting at the bar was not allowed.
The items on a bar cart aren’t just limited to alcoholic drinks, you may also expect to find glassware, cocktail making equipment, buckets of ice, towels, drink garnishes, snacks and much more.
Although they are intended to be used as mobile furniture, if you don’t have the space for a home bar for example in an apartment, you can even use a bar cart as your permanent home bar!
What you should have on bar cart?
What you want to put on a bar cart is up to you, if you are using a bar cart for your own personal use, it will depend on what you want to drink. If you are having a social gathering with multiple people it is a good idea to organize your bar cart with a selection of different alcohols/mixers/glassware and garnishes to accommodate for your guests.
The beauty of the bar cart is that it allows you to have everything you need ready to make a variety of drinks. Having a bar cart is a fun, convenient way to serve drinks, designed to be an extension of a bar rather than a replacement for it. With that in mind, here’s a list of the basics we think you ought to have when stocking a home bar cart;
- Selection of 5 or 6 different alcohols
- Selection of mixers
- Different types of glassware
- Ice bucket and tongs
- Cocktail making equipment
- Drink garnishes
- Cloth to wipe spillages
How do I choose a bar cart?
So how do you choose the right bar cart for you? Well there are modern home bar carts, rustic home bar carts and industrial home bar carts.
When considering you need to remember a bar cart is meant to be an extension of your home bar, it makes sense for your home bar cart décor to match. For example if you have a rustic bar made of solid oak, it doesn’t make sense to have a shiny silver/chrome bar cart as it will look out of place.
Some other things to consider is the size of your bar cart. Is it practical to have a bar cart in your house? Where should the bar cart be placed when its not in use? You should also think about everything you might want to put on your bar cart and ask yourself how many shelves will you need?
How do you style a bar cart?
This is a question of practicality vs style you should seek to find a nice balance between the two. If you fill a bar cart with too many alcohols, glasses and cocktail tools you will have no space for any of the fun decorative features.
The opposite also applies, don’t decorate a bar cart with too many items that you cant fit any alcohol and take away from the practicality and purpose of the cart.
Don’t forget that the alcohol bottles themselves and the glassware add to the décor and can make a lovely statement. Add a bit of clever colour coordinating and you are there. Below are some tips on how to style your bar cart;
- Prioritize what you actually need for making drinks, then add a 1 or 2 small decorative items on each shelf. Think less is more!
- Add a nice plant in a vase to bring some fresh natural elements to the cart
- Find a nice bowl/dish for your garnishes, when the bowl is filled with fruit this will also add to the fresh look of the cart
- Balance your item heights on each shelf, having tall spirit bottles next to short glasses and bowls will make everything look in proportion
- The bottom shelf/shelves should be used mostly for storage, the top shelf should be used for preparing and pouring drinks.
- Use lighting. This will add to the style and practicality of the cart. Having some battery powered fairy lights in a jar or artificial candles will bring a lovely vibe to the cart and can help you to see when making drinks in the evening.
Bar carts & products, our top picks!
Rustic & Industrial Bar Carts
Modern Bar Carts
Bar Cart Accessories
Conclusion
We hope through our recommendations you now have all the information you need to be able to choose the perfect bar cart for you and you’re able to style it like a pro. As always have fun with it, cheers!
If your looking for more items to add to your bar cart check out our article on home bar essentials here.
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